


Stay with Me?

by mysteriouslypeculiar



Category: Dimension 20 (Web Series)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fabian on god we gonna gET you a hug, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, fabian! is! depressed!, listen. listen. tracker is right, no i'm not projecting you're projecting, spring! break!!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-04
Updated: 2020-05-04
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:07:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,542
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23993494
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mysteriouslypeculiar/pseuds/mysteriouslypeculiar
Summary: Takes place after the events of Pirate Brawl (sophomore year, episode 6).“You don’t have to stay.”Fabian’s voice was muffled, his back turned to Riz. Even with his dark vision, Riz could just barely make out Fabian’s features. He could only see the outline of his back, the curve of his shoulder, as he curled into himself, facing the wall.“I know.” Riz responded. Of course he didn’t have to stay. But he wanted to. He couldn’t leave Fabian alone, not after that.
Relationships: Riz Gukgak & Fabian Aramais Seacaster, Riz Gukgak/Fabian Aramais Seacaster
Comments: 20
Kudos: 109





	Stay with Me?

“You don’t have to stay.” 

Fabian’s voice was muffled, his back turned to Riz. Even with his dark vision, Riz could just barely make out Fabian’s features. He could only see the outline of his back, the curve of his shoulder, as he curled into himself, facing the wall. 

“I know,” Riz responded. Of course, he didn’t have to stay. But he wanted to. He couldn’t leave Fabian alone, not after that. 

Riz should have noticed. That was his job. That was his role in the group. His role was to see things, to watch and observe. To notice the little details. 

But he didn’t. He took that snuff and then it was like nothing mattered. He got so distracted, so caught up into his own mind, he lost track of something important. Something really, really important. And he didn’t notice until it was too late. 

He couldn’t let him leave again. He needed to keep him in sight. 

“Then..why are you still here?” Fabian spoke again. His voice was quiet. Hoarse. The ropes that had slowed his fall must have injured his throat. 

“I’m here because…” Why _was_ he here? Because he didn’t want to fail again? Because he couldn’t risk losing him again? Losing him for good? “I guess because I want to..make sure you’re safe.”

Riz watched as Fabian nodded, still facing away, staring off into space. Riz could just barely make out the red stains on his clothes with the dark vision. Blood. Fabian’s blood. 

He almost died. Riz had almost let him die. 

  
There was a comfortable silence for a moment, neither of them saying anything, listening to the ambient hum of the Hangman.

“You should sleep,” Riz said, anxious to fill the silence, no matter how comforting it was. “You need it.” 

Fabian nodded again, not responding otherwise. 

He reached out, hand brushing the metal skull of the Hangman, which rumbled in response. 

Fabian shifted in the bed, turning so that he was nearly facing Riz. In the dark, Fabian’s silver eye and hair had no shine, no glimmer or gleam. His smile was gone and his eye was downcast, inspecting the blankets. His confident air, gone. Torn to shreds by whoever had tied him in those ropes.

“Are you..” Fabian spoke up, fingers going out to pick at a loose strand in the blanket. “..will you be staying in that chair all night?” 

Riz rolled his eyes. 

“I’m not just trying to watch you sleep, Fabian.” 

“No, The Ball that’s not-” Fabian sighed. “The bed is...it’s a big bed.”

Riz furrowed his brow, trying to analyze what Fabian was saying.

“I know, but the chair is fine.” 

Riz watched as Fabian opened his mouth again, moving to say something, before deciding against it and closing his mouth again. Then he watched him do it again. And then again. 

“Unless-” Riz said, trying to save Fabian the trouble. “-you..want me to sleep..in the bed?” He felt his face heat up, but he ignored it. Fabian didn’t mean it like that. It was a big bed, and Riz was small. 

Yet, Riz watched as Fabian’s face changed color as well, darkening slightly to a shade that Riz’s dark vision did not quite register. 

“I-uh..only if you, uh..” Fabian stuttered. He seemed to fluster, then took a breath. “It’s just an offer.” 

“Yeah, no, yeah, I get it.” Riz said, running a hand through his hair. 

  
The air in the room was shifting, thickening slightly. Riz remembered the phrase “you could cut the tension with a knife”. He felt that now. He felt like this moment was a big one. Like, whatever he did right now would have drastic consequences if he did the wrong thing. 

The air in the room was full of potential energy, waiting for Riz to make his choice, to move or not.

  
“It’s fine, The Ball.” Fabian said, although it didn’t sound fine. “You don’t..you can stay in the chair. It’s stupid.” 

If Riz didn’t know any better, he’d think that Fabian sounded dejected. Like he had _wanted_ Riz to share the bed with him. 

“No, wait.” Riz said, making up his mind. “Fabian, wait.”   
  
He stood up from the armchair, moving over to the bed. Tentatively, he sat down on the edge. 

Fabian watched him sit, and Riz watched Fabian watch him sit. 

It really was a big bed. 

Fabian’s eyes were wide as Riz sat down on the edge of the bed, barely even creasing the comforter with his minimal weight. 

Riz set his sword down on the nightstand and moved to press his back against the headboard. 

“Are you tired?” He asked, turning to face Fabian.

Fabian shook his head. He wasn’t making eye contact again, looking down at his hands as he absentmindedly played with the string. 

“Okay.” Riz said. He kept his voice quiet. He wanted to comfort Fabian, to assure him that everything was okay, but he didn’t want to overstep. “Do you want to..talk? Or just sit here?”

Fabian shrugged. His fingers pulled at the string, stretching it taught. 

Riz furrowed his eyebrows again. He reached out, covering Fabian’s hands with his own. 

“Hey," Riz said, trying to meet Fabian's eye. "What’s going on?” 

Fabian shook his head and didn’t respond. However, he did lift his head up to look at Riz. 

Fabian bit his lip, his one good eye scanning Riz’s face. He looked deep in thought, his expression unreadable.

“Fabian, dude, you can tell me,” Riz said, trying to reach out. 

Fabian didn’t push his hands away. Fabian was looking up at him. He was making progress. 

The expression faded on Fabian's face and suddenly it was like all the wind was knocked out of him. 

In an instant, Riz was engulfed in a pair of strong arms, the near-overwhelming scent of salty air and coppery blood filling his senses, as Fabian pulled Riz into a tight hug. 

Riz returned the hug, wrapping his small arms around as much of Fabian as he could. He looped his hands together around Fabian’s back. 

He felt Fabian press his face into the crook of his neck and Riz sighed. He began to rub small circles on the small of Fabian’s back, as he had seen Cathilda and Tracker do on several occasions. A calming gesture. 

“It’s okay.” Riz whispered. “It’s okay.” 

And it was. Or it would be.

Fabian’s breathing didn’t immediately calm down. In all seriousness, Fabian’s breathing actually quickened. 

He moved from slow breaths to fast and shallow breaths, and then to silent, shaking sobs. Riz never let go, never stopped rubbing small circles onto Fabian’s back, never stopped assuring him that everything was okay, that he was safe. That Riz had him. Riz would protect him. Nothing was going to happen to him. 

Eventually, Fabian calmed down. His breathing evened out.

He pulled away, wiping at his face. He had a dazed, almost somber expression to his face. 

“Thank you, The Ball.” He said. His voice was torn, thick with emotion. 

“Of course,” Riz responded, eyes searching Fabian’s face. Fabian beautiful face. 

He wanted nothing more than to make Fabian smile again. To make him obnoxiously happy again. 

Fabian yawned and then blinked slowly. Once, twice, and then began to lean forward. Falling asleep sitting up. Falling asleep leaning into Riz.

“C’mon. Let’s go to sleep, big guy.” Riz said, gently pushing Fabian’s shoulders until he was lying down. 

He pulled up the blankets, before moving to go to his side of the bed. However, a hand reached out for him.

“Please.” Fabian whispered, hand blindly grasping for Riz. “Don’t go.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” Riz said, and he flipped over, turning to face Fabian. 

Fabian’s good eye was open just a slit, just enough so Riz could see the brilliant silver peeking out between his dark lids. 

Fabian’s hand found his wrist, wrapping around and pulling gently. Riz didn’t object, scooting closer. 

Riz could feel his own heart beating erratically, certain that Fabian could hear it. Yet, Fabian moved closer, his face looming close to Riz. 

Riz could feel Fabian’s fast breaths against his face. Could smell the salty sea air that seeped from his soul. 

“The Ball.” Fabian said, his whispered breaths brushing against Riz’s lips. “Stay with me?”

“Of course,” Riz responded. “Of course.” 

And Fabian smiled softly. Not his full, radiant smile. Not the smile that he flashed the passing students in the halls, not the cocky smirk he typically threw to the other Bad Kids. No, Fabian smiled softly. Fondly. A sleepy, but genuine, smile that slowly spread across his face. 

“Thanks, The Ball.” He said. He scooted closer, holding an arm out. Riz debated momentarily, waiting for the other shoe to drop. But it didn’t. 

Riz leaned into Fabian, who immediately wrapped his arms around Riz, pulling him close. 

Before he let the warmth and comfort of the embrace lull him to sleep, Riz watched as Fabian’s soft smile grew into a wide, spectacular grin. 

“Of course,” Riz said. “I love you, man.”

“I love you too, The Ball.”

Riz smiled, closing his eyes and resting his head into the crook of Fabian’s arm. He drifted off to sleep. 

**Author's Note:**

> <3 <3!!  
> Thanks for reading! It means a lot!  
> I'm genuinely obsessed with Fantasy High/Dimension 20 now. Feel free to comment any ideas for another fic, if you have any!!


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